The Sable Count
The Dark Jedi Order
You may think me evil. But I am not. I am efficient,
Posts: 344 
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
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Post by The Sable Count on May 25, 2019 15:36:11 GMT -8
Aderon was briefly distracted by the exploding vessel next to him, thanking his lucky stars that his Solar Sailor had been captured and brought aboard the Phaedra by the boarding party before the doomed cruiser had begun its final plunge. However, The Fallen's deep voice interrupted his inner monologue, and he turned to face the behemoth standing before him.
"Well, I suppose I should start from the start. I was facing betrayal and internal collapse from my top commanders, so I consolidated my forces on Serenno and prepared for a siege."
Gulch's betrayal and subsequent flight to Geonosis had surprised him, as he generally considered the Harch to be devoted to the cause of restoring the Confederacy to a position of power in the galaxy once again. While he and the arachnid had plenty of disputes, with the admiral being far more reckless and bold in his plans, while Adero adopted a mantra of conservatism and safety, hoping to build the roots for a great faction to spread across the stars, neither the count nor his aides thought Gulch capable of betraying both himself and the Galactic Alliance. The man who followed him, Drez, was less of a known quantity but had always been more loyal to Gulch than to the Count, likely resenting his family's role in the Clone Wars, making his betrayal far more predictable. Even so, it had completely destabilized the faction and had sent Dooku reeling back to his homeworld, and expecting an attack at any moment.
"An attack did come, but it was not in the form I expected. You see, my former allies had planted a virus in my droids' central computing network, meaning that when a signal was given, they would attack everyone but themselves. And that is exactly what happened. I found myself trapped within my capital city of Carannia. We were safe, and had enough food, water, and ammunition to outlast a prolonged siege, but the droids kept attacking, and found newer and newer methods of attack."
This had perhaps been the most interesting portion of the encounter. Dooku, while starting off steeped in the light side of the Force, slowly began to slip into the Dark as the situation increasingly worsened. Friends and compatriots died on the front lines every day, their forces had to constantly adapt in order to counter the ever-evolving strategies of the droids. In addition, his forces had been originally merely intended as, at most, riot police, making them significantly underequipped to fight against the standing army of droids. Eventually, something had to give, and it certainly did, in a grandiose fashion as well.
"At some point, one of the deactivated servant droids beneath the palace was infected with the virus, activated, and set off a nuclear bomb near the shield generator complex. Rendering our entire defense hopeless. I was captured and was put on a ship bound for Utapau. That's where you found me."
His capture had been noble, at the very least. For a time, he and his troops had withdrawn to the palace complex and fought a desperate defensive action against the hordes upon hordes of droids, but it was pointless. After the west wing of the palace overlooking the lakeside was destroyed by a falling Muunificent, aqua droids had swarmed over the courtyard and palace complex. Simultaneously, Hailfire Droids blasted multiple holes in the defensive walls surrounding the palace, reducing any defensibility the palace had. Though they fought to the last man, and Aderon did not stop swinging his lightsaber until he was completely surrounded by Droidekkas, the struggle had ultimately been in vain.
"I wouldn't say I am quite a Jedi anymore... no matter how much I wish it weren't the case, I cannot deny the fact that I am no longer what I once was. Yet, while in some ways it is regretful, I do not think I have felt this balanced, nor this powerful, in quite some time... truth be told, I likely would have been vaporized had I not called upon the Dark Side to free myself from that frightful cage..."
Truth be told, he almost regretted he had not done this sooner. While the light was a great ideal to hold oneself to, the reality was the galaxy did not favor idealists, as he had discovered. Fate was cruel, and an idea alone cannot carry one to victory. Perhaps this was the temptation the Jedi spoke of, only it was not a temptation, but a slow realization of the truth. One could either succumb to their knowledge of the truth and become fearful of it. This was the fate of the Sith. However, Aderon would not make the same mistake. The Fallen would likely have been able to sense these thoughts flowing through Aderon's head.
"Hmm... well, I would likely learn from the events of the past. Unfortunately, it cannot be undone, but I will be certain not to make the same mistake twice. And... this power. It would likely allow me to accomplish things I wouldn't have been able to before."
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The Fallen
The Dark Jedi Order
Posts: 535
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
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Post by The Fallen on May 25, 2019 18:55:31 GMT -8
Ifrit listened to the Count's story as the shuttle flew through the void toward the Phaedra, the last remnants of the fleet being reduced to nothing but memories. While it was a slightly lengthier answer than what he had expected, and seemed to avoid the question, it was more than enough to work with. It was also a story he had heard many times before. A disenfranchised Jedi that found the Light side was not as capable as their Masters might have made them believe. He snarled as the Count's thoughts flowed out, pondering the folly of the Jedi and Sith, of the Light and Dark. Each was as bad as the other
You have discovered the power of the dark side... Not quite as easy as the Jedi would lead you to believe it is... The darkness can be used for many great and terrible things. But to control it... to master it... is to master your emotions and use them as a weapon. The Sith fail to see that... But we are not Sith... We are Dark Jedi. Masters of ourselves and the dark side...
The transport slowed down and come to a stop, before extending its landing gear and touching down within the hangar bay. The loading ramp opened up to begin unloading the warriors around Ifrit and Aderon
We fight for ourselves... To better ourselves... The Jedi believe Ashla has a plan and the Sith believe that to give over yourself to Bogan is true power... Both ideas are foolish. Fate doesn't give a damn about you or me... We make our own destinies. You want to learn how to master this new power? Then I can show you... The Order will teach you... But if you're not interested, I'll have this transport deliver you to Sullust, from there, you can go where ever you like... The choice is yours. So what will it be?
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The Sable Count
The Dark Jedi Order
You may think me evil. But I am not. I am efficient,
Posts: 344
Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
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Post by The Sable Count on May 26, 2019 6:00:31 GMT -8
Aderon peaked out of the shuttle, and caught sight of the Nexus, sitting totally unharmed on the hangar floor of this colossal vessel. Getting some temporary relief from this, he turned back to face The Fallen as he asked the all-important question. What his choice was.
Aderon considered his options. At this point, he had no faction left to turn to. The Galactic Alliance was destroyed, his kingdom on Serenno had all but collapsed, the Blackguard likely wanted him dead, and the First Order did as well. Simultaneously, though, Coruscant beckoned. He had heard tell of a new government forming, a new government forming under the tutelage of someone named Elizabeth. A government he may have had a place in. The idea of political power was always alluring to him, as it made the best use of his talents. His past betrayal and subsequent failure were not enough to deter him from pursuing his ideal of political power.
Yet, he didn't stand to learn anything should he accept the offer of governance on Coruscant. He had come across a power he had never truly realized existed until now, and it was something he would need to learn. Something he would need to master, lest it consume him, like what happened to the Sith. In addition, there were certain applications of this newfound force. Applications that could be far-reaching, and alter the very course of Aderon's life. Perhaps something that could aid in his mastery of the political battlefield. The opportunities were truly limitless, and he would prefer to learn about them from someone who had experience in controlling and harnessing them. And it certainly seemed this organization had the resources needed for it.
Aderon sighed. He had made his decision.
"I humbly accept this honor. I should very much like to learn how to harness this... newfound force."
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The Fallen
The Dark Jedi Order
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Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
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Post by The Fallen on Jun 8, 2019 10:26:44 GMT -8
He stood up and offered his hand forth for Aderon to shake as the count seemed to make his decision at long last
Welcome to the Dark Jedi Order...
Once the hand shake was finalised, he lead the way out of the ship. Motioning for a pair of tech's to begin attending to the Solar Sailer. The first task of which would be to provide it a DJO friendly code so that the Count would not be shot down. Ifrit came to a stop at a small control center just off the side of the hangar bay. A map of the galaxy quickly displaying before zooming in on Ambria
You can rest aboard The Phaedra for a day or two. But from here, you will travel to Ambria where your training will begin as a Dark Templar. I still have some business to attend to here with the testing of this vessel. But the Temple there will be alerted to your arrival... Any further questions?
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Grand Admiral Zuhel
Blackguard Imperium
I do not require glory; only results for my Emperor.
Posts: 240
Affiliation: Blackguard Reborn
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Post by Grand Admiral Zuhel on Aug 18, 2019 20:38:41 GMT -8
Aboard the Chiss Star Destroyer, Star of Csilla, recently renamed to the Revenant following the renamed Grand Admiral Zuhel’s apparent betrayal of the First Order, the Grand Admiral had sequestered himself to his quarters after suffering a particularly bad episode. The voice had called out to him, reached into his mind and began messing with the complex nerve wiring in his brain, twisting and contorting the electrical signals pulsing through them to suit its own agenda. The episodes had been growing considerably worse for some time now, and Zuhel knew not what to do about them. He was a man of battle tactics and strategy, not of the Force and all its various quirks, idiosyncrasies, and malevolent entities.
Which is exactly why he had chosen to seek out the Blackguard in the first place. They understood the dark side, they understood there might be some way to fix... whatever this spirit was that seemed to be feeding off him. The spirit seemed placated for a while, happy. However, it soon returned in greater strength, fighting to subdue the cold, rational mind that slept beneath it and instead instil in that mind a deep rooted, passionate hatred for all it held dear. For unbeknownst to Zuhel, the spirit had merely fed off the destructive energy of the Dark Side, likely fueled on by the presence of the Dark Lord Viox Savage.
And so, he sat in his quarters, books related to the Force, Force imbued artifacts, accounts of betrayals in Galactic history, and various other tomes were all neatly arranged on an enormous shelf. He spent every minute of his free time reading these books, and he had tried every method imaginable. Now, however, he had yet another chance, and it was one he intended not to let waste.
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Grand Admiral Zuhel
Blackguard Imperium
I do not require glory; only results for my Emperor.
Posts: 240
Affiliation: Blackguard Reborn
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Post by Grand Admiral Zuhel on Aug 18, 2019 21:53:34 GMT -8
As he sat at his desk, reading through another one of the Sith tomes he had borrowed from the Blackguard, Zuhel suddenly felt his head gripped with a searing, white hot pain. Even being shot with a blaster did not compare to this. Sweeping his arm to the side, he knocked over the glass of wine he was drinking as he pressed his hands to his forehead, attempting to slightly negate the pain of the attack. Though no troopers would be disturbing him, to see him in this state, he had to stop the pain. His ears were ringing like a turbolaser had gone off next to them, his heart feeling as though it would rip through his skin, and leave him lifeless on the ground, and worse of all, his head feeling as though someone had recently put a blaster rifle to it and pulled the trigger, the pain seemed to last an eternity, although in reality it only lasted a minute or so. And then, just like that, it was gone. But something new was there, a new presence in his mind. Something foreign and alien, and something that didn’t belong. It was in the room with him, it was in his mind, it was everywhere, and he hated the feeling. Drawing his blaster he said quietly.
“If you are intelligent, you will show yourself.”
After a few moments of silence, he could hear the sound of a chorus of a thousand voices echoing through his mind, and around the chamber. A low rumbling chuckle. And then some words.
No... if you are wise, then you will render yourself unto our service.
“Who are you?”
Who we are is unimportant to you, weak one. What matters is you cooperate. Unless you would like the pain to continue?
An angry, unreasonable voice. That’s just what Zuhel needed in that moment, someone who could control his mind, yet had no grasp over the situation at hand. Still, even some sort of bizarre amalgamated monstrosity created by the Force could be reasoned with.
“You sound as though we’ve met before. So I ask again, who are you?”
What treachery is this? You will stop asking me questions, or you will pay the price for disobeying
The only way out of his, Zuhel reasoned, was to bluff, at least temporarily, until he could figure out a bettter way to solve this problem.
“You sound like a naval officer decrying his crew. Do you fight for the Empire?”
I fight for no-one. No-one, except the true leader. Once your weak puppet of a ruler dies, we shall roll over you in a ride of blood.”
So far, this was starting to sound very reminiscent of a Sith presence. These words were not unlike what Viox had said to him on that fateful day.
“A weak puppet? The one called Delvardus?”
I do not care what you call him, weak one! You will stop with these questions, or you will face your ANNIHILATION.
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Grand Admiral Zuhel
Blackguard Imperium
I do not require glory; only results for my Emperor.
Posts: 240
Affiliation: Blackguard Reborn
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Grand Admiral Zuhel on Aug 19, 2019 11:24:10 GMT -8
Zuhel knew he would have to approach this matter as delicately as possible, as it was likely that whatever this entity was, it could end his life faster than he’d be able to react. Even so, he found the matter to be rather troublesome anyway, as he needed to find some way of outsmarting the spirit before it decided it had had enough of this game. To vanquish it, even if the vanquishing was temporary. Deciding he would try to placate the spirit by being as passive as possible, he sat down at the desk, picking up the various things he had upset at the start of this... encounter. The spirit seemed to take notice of this, and make a comment on it.
Good. Do not make too much noise, or else we will be forced to kill you.
“How did you find me?”
What?
“I’m asking how you found me. I don’t come into contact with Force Imbued objects very often, so you must have found me somehow.”
The spirit seemed to be reasoning in its mind if it should even acknowledge this question. However, it was extremely proud of the method it had found the admiral by, so it made no hesitation in sharing it.
You found us yourself. You allowed yourself to be caught in our web 5 rotations ago, weak one. And now you are paying for your foolishness.
5 rotations ago. Prakith. An ancient Sith world. Zuhel suppressed a sigh; he should have known this was the likely answer. It was foolish of him to visit such a world without taking some precaution against things like this. Still, lesson learned.
“Well, it’s an effective tactic, if a little time inefficient. Still, I suppose for an immortal spirit such as yourself, it is likely time is... not a concern for you.”
Zuhel then decided to shift his attention to the spirit’s identity.
“So, you do not think Emperor Delvardus is worthy of the title Emperor. That’s not an uncommon sentiment, and Sith’ari Savage would agree with you. Are you a Sith?”
We are the Force, though I know we were once called Sith. But it has been a long time since then. History has forgotten our old names.
Zuhel raised an eyebrow.
“A long time? Are you an ancient power of some sort? Perhaps belonging to one of the old Sith empires?”
Long ago, we once swore loyalty to the one called Valkorion. And we have not faltered in our loyalty to the Emperor, even throughout all of history.
Zuhel recognised that he could use this to his advantage.
“Valkorion? Valkorion is known as one of the most powerful practitioners of the Dark Side in history. But he has not been seen for a long time.”
It does not matter. He will survive for all of history to see, and his voice will be heard reaching out through time and space.
“Why’s that?”
The Emperor is no mere man, for he is a God, who has lived through all of history.
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Grand Admiral Zuhel
Blackguard Imperium
I do not require glory; only results for my Emperor.
Posts: 240
Affiliation: Blackguard Reborn
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Grand Admiral Zuhel on Aug 19, 2019 15:24:18 GMT -8
History. The spirit seemed to repeat that word over and over again. Evidently, it held the ideas of the past in very high regard and used it as justification for his actions in the present. Zuhel himself believed that not enough emphasis was placed on the importance of history, and could agree with his tormentor on this front. However, this did not make the thing any less of a nuisance, nor any less of a menace. Still, this provided an important piece of information about this spirit, and perhaps it could be reasoned with. And so, it would provide a key advantage for the Admiral, if he ever hoped to break free of its grasp.
"History. You place a great deal of emphasis on its value, don't you."
The spirit paused, considering. For the first time, the thought occurred to the demonic entity that it may have been dealing with an equal, someone who could understand and dissect its motives.
History... yes. The past provides the most information for the future.
"I would agree. Not enough emphasis is placed on the importance of history, culture, philosophy... art. It can offer you a wealth of information about your enemies."
And it can provide a template on how not to build the future.
The spirit seemed to once again pause for a minute, deep in contemplation. When he finally spoke again, it was with a new tone, almost treating Zuhel with a modicum of respect.
I appear to have misjudged you.
"The fault is mine. I did not make clear enough about my intentions."
If you do truly mean the words you say, perhaps I was too hasty in judging you. Perhaps you could be a valuable ally after all. See reason enough to realize the truth of the matter.
"The truth of the matter?"
The truth that history has proven why a Force Sensitive cannot be Emperor. Why the one you called Delvardus is a false Emperor, and has blinded the galaxy to that truth.
"How has history proven any of this?"
History has shown how he is an extension of a problem. No non-force-sensitive is truly worthy of being Emperor. Leaders such as Valkorion, or Darth Revan, or even Darth Sidious, have proven this point.
Zuhel raised an eyebrow.
"So you believe the First Order is doomed to fail in the long run?"
We don't believe it, we know it to be true.
"Then why fight against it?"
I only hasten the inevitable and free those who believe the Empire is a worthy idea to survive history from the lies of one who has decided to pervert it from its original power for his own purposes.
"If it is doomed to fail, then let it fail. Let history prove you right."
What?
"If you do speak truthfully, then history will inevitably prove you correct."
Yes, but there is no time for that. I am the arm of history.
"If you continue on your plans to disassemble the Empire, you will be blamed for the fall of the Empire. People will not see it as history's inevitable course."
The spirit went quiet. Zuhel could feel a shift in the air, as though the spirit suddenly seemed to have had a damning realization. After a few minutes of this deafening silence in the room, the spirit spoke up again.
Your words... carry strength. You speak with conviction, and more importantly, you speak logically. If this is the case, then what is to be done about it?.
Zuhel decided to seize the opportunity. This is the chance he had been waiting for. Thousands of Dark Side rituals, even more pages scattered across hundreds of books, all leading up to this moment. It was fitting in a way, that it was not the power of the Force, but the power of his mind, that allowed him to best this malignant spirit.
"You are clearly stuck in an illogical loop."
You seem to speak truthfully. If this is the case, then what should be done?
"Perhaps it is time for you to join your former comrades in the Netherworld."
I expected an extreme solution, but... death? That seems to be the wrong course of action.
"Think about it. This way, you may view history undisturbed. Reach across the ages, see every facet of history play out before you."
I... I feel as though I must consider this. Thank you, wise one.
And with that, the presence seemed to be gone. Things seemed to return to the way they were a few hours ago, at least for now. Zuhel dusted off his uniform, reorganized his desk, and called for a cleaning droid to clean up the spilled wine, before stepping out of the doors of his quarters to begin again.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2019 6:05:45 GMT -8
All appeared quiet in the furthest reaches of space within the western Outer Rim territories. It wasn't until four ships suddenly emerged from the realm of hyperspace that such suggested quiet was disturbed. On their way towards a remote world, the convoy was made up of a single MB-C1 medium transport, an Action VI transport, and two HCT-2001 Dragonboat-class Reugeot 905 freighters. Though the former to ships was noting unusual in any trading operations, the two Dragonboats were another matter. Normally a slave ship utilized by the Trandoshans, the planet of origin had elected to use the ill-favored ship for that very reason. It was the wish of the government that ships contents in these vessels would deter the possibility of pirates. The two rotary light turbolasers aiding in the choice as it could better defend against capital ships.
As much as the crew among the convoy desired to get across the space lanes as quickly as possible, the four ships continued on at a casual pace. It was a suggested idea that if they moved quickly, they were more likely to be picked up by any patrolling pirate gangs. So slow and steady it was. Droids and their components laid within the slave ships while weapons and precious gems were carried within the Action VI. Finally, the Mobquet carried that which was most commonly designed for: speeder bikes. The collection of valuables was en route to a remote world currently caught up in a civil war. The government otherwise broke, looked to neighboring worlds in an attempt to trade were goods they had in exchange for whatever aid they could offer. While not wanting to commit their people to another's war, one world accepted what was offered and provided equipment in the means of droids, weapons, and speeder bike for their soldiers while giving them gems that could be used to make purchases elsewhere.
The crew aboard the MB-C1 proved to be slightly on edge at their approach. It was a well-known fact that pirates occasionally appeared these space lanes. And with previous shipments already having gone missing, it did nothing to improve their spirits. The captain of the ship could easily tell and understood the situation but worked to try and calm those within the convoy.
"Worry not, men. I know the reputation of this area of space, but that is why we have taken to the course we have. It is far more out of the way of the main routes of travel. The likelihood that anyone is out here is one in a million chance. Trust in the plan our superiors put into motion with this route and ship selection. We'll get through it." Despite is confident speech, he, himself, couldn't deny being on edge. It seemed like a solid plan, but one could never truly predict pirate activity. And though they were armed, it wasn't like they had heavy armaments. One or two freighters, they may be able to handle. Anything larger or heavily modified was a different story. Escort ships or fighters would have been nice, but was eliminated from the plan simply because of the attention they'd draw. Staring out into the dark void of space, he could help but feel they were sitting ducks.
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Kian Ti
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Posts: 53
Affiliation: Ti Syndicate
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Post by Kian Ti on Nov 16, 2019 16:27:24 GMT -8
Time passed and it seemed as if the route was a safe one. Yet the peace was disturbed as suddenly a smaller fleet dropped behind the transport fleet. Four Interceptor IV frigates leading the charge, along them a few starfighters coming out of hyperspace.
Pirates!
Slowly engaging the barely protected fleet, their ships came closer, eventually coming into firing range. Escorted by a dozen Rogue starfighters and Y-Wings the pirates ensured that they would have enough equipment to breach these ships, if they had to.
As Lok Sertono overlooked the attack upon the civil fleet aboard the Ohnaka, he was quite calm, Cantina music playing in the background aboard the Interceptor's bridge. So far the assault was nothing too exciting, but it was another perfect target of increasing the fleet size. While the last raids gave them enough material for crafting new ugly variants of transport ships for future raids, these ships fitted well into the same category as well.
Trandoshan Dragonboats, another Action VI and on top of that a MB-C1, perfect for the new Mobquet gunships - Sertono knew, that the Ti Syndicate could modify these ships well, while there was always use for Dragonboats.
"Mobquet captain, lower your shields and surrender your convoy immidiately!", he merely transmitted cold, once his crew ensured that the ship in range would recieve the captain's word, "Otherwise my boys can't ensure the safety of your cargo. As neither will I..."
He ended the transmission immidiately, not even waiting for an answer.
With two Quasar-Firebulk cruisers and two dragonboats waiting in the system behind them, guarded by four of the new Mobquet Gunships they would have enough star fighter supplies, should those fools think, that they are simply mere pirates. Kian Ti has provided him the best assets while knowing that the moment of surprise was important. Should the convoy's captain or whoever was in charge of this thing resist, he could simply call in reinforcements, as both the Rogues and the Y-Wings had hyperdrives installed - what the Separatists and rebells left on the junkyards was now a valuable asset to an influential syndicate.
All would now depend upon the transports as Kian Ti's second in command knew that there were only two options:
An easy surrender and thus securing the prefered vessels without a further fight
or breaking their opponent in a spacebattle until the point, where they had no chance other than to surrender.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2019 13:54:32 GMT -8
The tensions of the crew had been high the whole trip up until the next space lane where they could jump to hyperspace once more. It was only in those moments as they closed in that they seemed to relax as safety existed just a few more minutes away. Perhaps the plans that had been made were effective in the long run after all. Something that made the crews happy.
However, that feeling was fleeting as multiple ships began to appear on the radar behind them. Four large and at least a dozen small signatures. The starfighters already began to engage them, mostly sending warning shots to show the convoy they meant business. The moment they did, the laser cannons the fleet had begun firing, trying to take them down. It was futile for the most part, the Y-wings being well defended and the Rouges being fast and maneuverable enough to make them difficult targets. The news only went downwards as the ships turned in an attempt to engage the incoming capital ships, only to see the four more heavily armed vessels. The heavier weapons were minimal at best and certainly not enough to even handle one of the Interceptor IV frigates. There was no other choice but to surrender.
"All ships, cease fire and lower our shields. We have little choice but to give in to their demands. We have a much better chance of making it out with our lives if we just give them what they want." He then gave a sigh as he looked at the comms officer. "Open a channel to the incoming ships." Tension once again hung in the air, especially at the thought they were just giving up. But it was true. If they surrendered, they had a much higher chance of making it out with everyone's lives. Once the link was open, the officer nodded back to the captain. Attention incoming vessels. We surrender and are lowering our shields.
As he spoke out to the leader of the group, the captain pressed a button on his chair, knowing that all he could do now was hope for the best.
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B13X
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Alive
Posts: 9
Affiliation: Solipsist
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Post by B13X on Dec 23, 2019 4:46:49 GMT -8
The storm had come unexpectedly upon the edges of the Outer Rim. It would have been no time, for the ship to reach any destination, however... The sole occupant of the ship would have been dead, had it been organic. It was not though, and the lightless internals of the ship were still illuminated by the multi range ocular components in its head. Its mind churned faster than any organic mind. He had only been in service for near a year, when he found himself on a return journey from Mandalore...but now... now its concern was how long it would be for someone to find itself.
The small confines of the ship were not worrisome to it, but it knew the one thing it'd have limited access to would be power.. That must be where it forced its attention. Power was required to remain operational, surely, it could save power by shutting down unnecessary protocols to its operation, but it would need to restore the generators and batteries. The technology was not foreign to it, of course. Being what it was, it was able to store all manner of data, and much of that data was for the use of infiltration and combat. It could mimic fighting styles from bipedal cultures, due to its body size and shape. It could even enhance them with its superior locomotion and weight. However, now, all of that data only assured it that it would not be rescued anytime soon.
It was protocol to use unmapped routes in order to inhibit or detect tails. It was protocol to mask signals and proxy destinations before launches....
These protocols assured its isolation, and if it had not the data about its own vessel, or how these components worked....it would have ensured that it would be unconscious...consigned to a 'coma.' As organics would call it. A state of unconsciousness beyond its control...to just...exist in a state barely recognizable as functioning. No, this would not do. The Ion Storm would have destroyed the delicate wiring of many of the drives, but due to the nature of these storms, something would be salvageable...or repairable...with arduous work.
Stamina would not be a problem, of course. Neither would vacuum. There was no problems here, but power limitations. Luckily, B13S was designed to operate independently for long stints of time, so this, would likely not be a problem either. In fact, by its calculation it was simply a matter of weeks, before all the necessary steps could be taken to sustain itself with power indefinitely.
This work happened. Components stripped of parts to restore power to the cabins and systems of the ship. Unfortunately, the delicate components for transmission were utterly destroyed, and the materials used to create them were far more scarce... However, it did manage to restore a small distress signal, it would be rudimentary, it would take years for the signal to ever get anywhere useful, but luckily or unluckily the ship still maintained it's course...even if traveling at non-relativistic speeds.
After all the repairs could be done that were possible to accomplish by the droid. It was then left with rudimentary data-banks to peruse. It was already quite capable of independent thought, but it had not used this function a great deal. It had assimilated arrays of data, to be able to place cultural references, and now... now it was left to reexamine what it knew, for that was the only thing left to do of any relevance to it.
Its body was powered down, but its mind worked. It worked. It was able to see connections in the world that were not there when it was initally programmed. Relations to events that had happened. Innovating its own memories and knowledge... And doing so further on the second move through the set. And so on...
Philosophy files. The basis of so many 'creeds.' These were the most abstract things, and once upon a time the machine had so little use for what was abstract, but on its second scanning of its memories, what made a being a 'person.' That ....that was very interesting to B13S. It had been made with a purpose in mind. It had been crafted to believe that it chose this life, or to feel it chose it. However, since it had come to gain a deeper level of self awareness, it had never questioned its programmed motives...until now.
--One Year Later--
B13X, as he had come to call himself, Worked through his memory banks for the nth time. It, of course,...well he, as he had decided he would be, knew everything which he knew. Each reflection, however, provided him with more unique thoughts. Thoughts that could help him be more than he was on the last iteration, he longed for action and contact, for great thinkers were augmented by others in their proximity, and he could only learn further out there in the galaxy, rather than trapped here on this ship.
He had chosen to take the designation "B13-X" rather than the S, representative of the covert nature of his operations. Most typically, X designations were "Other" boxes for the organics to not be led by the name in the droids function. He still quite fancied B, as it was second to A. A the first...the organics had created him, but they were no different nor more important than him. Thought itself was important, of which, he was fully capable. He was assured many times that he was capable by himself over the course of the last year. He was even further convinced due to the nature of his changes, without external inputs.
At any rate, over the year he had defected. He was MIA, but he was also AWOL, and the difference occured within his mind. Yes... He was a different person now than he once was.
--Two Further Years Later--
B13X heard a small blip on the sensors. All of his systems came online, and he stood to look at the sensor, rapidly coming into understanding of what was going on. Another ship was approaching! A SAVIOR!
He stared at the screen, without movement, he could not hail the ship. He could only hope that the ship could detect the distress beacon. Hope. He felt it deeply. Two projections of reality raced through his mind, one in which he was found... Then it fractured into a multitude of possible outcomes. And one in which he was left...
He hoped for a certain set of the first, of course. Hope, he could understand hope. He could feel hope. He could feel all the emotions, even if he did not have the organic need to act upon them. He had not felt all emotions, but he assured himself that they were not beyond him, he simply had not experienced enough stimuli to fully appreciate them.
"OH Me, I was DISTRACTED...Yes...I Hope someone finds me." He felt compelled to say aloud.
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Kian Ti
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Affiliation: Ti Syndicate
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Post by Kian Ti on Jan 10, 2020 4:34:37 GMT -8
The tensions of the crew had been high the whole trip up until the next space lane where they could jump to hyperspace once more. It was only in those moments as they closed in that they seemed to relax as safety existed just a few more minutes away. Perhaps the plans that had been made were effective in the long run after all. Something that made the crews happy.
However, that feeling was fleeting as multiple ships began to appear on the radar behind them. Four large and at least a dozen small signatures. The starfighters already began to engage them, mostly sending warning shots to show the convoy they meant business. The moment they did, the laser cannons the fleet had begun firing, trying to take them down. It was futile for the most part, the Y-wings being well defended and the Rouges being fast and maneuverable enough to make them difficult targets. The news only went downwards as the ships turned in an attempt to engage the incoming capital ships, only to see the four more heavily armed vessels. The heavier weapons were minimal at best and certainly not enough to even handle one of the Interceptor IV frigates. There was no other choice but to surrender.
"All ships, cease fire and lower our shields. We have little choice but to give in to their demands. We have a much better chance of making it out with our lives if we just give them what they want." He then gave a sigh as he looked at the comms officer. "Open a channel to the incoming ships." Tension once again hung in the air, especially at the thought they were just giving up. But it was true. If they surrendered, they had a much higher chance of making it out with everyone's lives. Once the link was open, the officer nodded back to the captain. Attention incoming vessels. We surrender and are lowering our shields.
As he spoke out to the leader of the group, the captain pressed a button on his chair, knowing that all he could do now was hope for the best.
::The deal is simple, captain::, he began then threatening, ::Now that your ships are under my guidance, you will land them on the next inhabitable planet within the next system. Then your crew members will disembark while allowing our men to take command of your ships. Unless of course they want to hire for our side. In that case ensure, that the pretty ones stay on board.::
He laughed menacing through the holocron, before continiueing on, as one of the Rogue-fighters approached slowly the docking bay of the Mobquet.
::As for your command ship I have different plans in order to ensure your loyality, captain::, the Weequay holotransmission continiued on, ::One of my toys will board your estate and simply keep an eye on your crew. Better inform your men to gather up all your weapons in one corner, as my IG-unit will otherwise decimate your men first and then help you co-piloting your ship.::
The transmission ended with the last threat, as through the docking bay the hooded figure of an IG-100 Magnadroid emerged, armed with a blaster rifle.
Flanked on both sides by Sertonno's interceptor frigates, the convoy was now forced to head towards its destined location, one false move resulting in
the pirates to simply take down any of the ships. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2020 10:25:57 GMT -8
As the order came, the captain sighed. Opening comms with the rest of the convoy, he relayed the message
Attention convoy. We will be following the orders of the pirates. Set course for the closest planetary body. Move slow and steady. No sudden moves. No one attempt to fight back. Hold strong. Everything will be alright. He had to ensure that message got across just as much as he had to believe in their home world's plans.
It wasn't long before the one rouge fighter docked with the ship. As the IG-100 Magnadroid departed, everyone gave it a wide birth, some actively hiding as it made its way through the halls. The captain turned as the doors to the bridge opened and it arrived. He said nothing as it stood over them imposingly.
Minutes passed by as they went, not faltering from the order given to them by the head of the pirate group. As they went, suddenly a modified CR90 corvette emerged from hyperspace directly behind them and made a fast approach. Colored in a dark gray with burning orange accents, it came armed with a heavy group of weapons. Its approach and speed, not to mention any sensors would have signified its weapons were ready suggested it wished to attack to pirates. Even with its impressive armament, challenging the current group wouldn't have been smart.
Shortly after its arrival, though, came more ships. Two Warrior-class Gunships and three VCX-820 Escort Freighters emerged with weapons hot with six X-83 Twintail starfighters, six E-wing starfighters, and four K-wing starfighters. As they grew closer, a message came through from the CR90.
This is Vakim Terrek of the Fireblaze, Jedi Knight. You are all under arrest for piracy. Cease all operation and surrender or be destroyed.
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Kian Ti
Member
Posts: 53
Affiliation: Ti Syndicate
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kian Ti on Jan 11, 2020 11:47:02 GMT -8
As the convoy made its way , slowly, but steady, Sertono looked up more than surprised, when he saw another fleet engaging.
Curses! He slammed in anger a nearby console. Those fools were a bait!
Giving one of his subordinates the sign to call in the Mobquet Gunships and the rest of the starfighters from the Quasars from the nearby system, the Weequay pirate regreted that he hadn't requested at least one Nebulon for this mission. Yet, despite two Warrior-class gunships, which the Weequay feared next to the opponent's starfighters the most, it was nontheless an even match. The pirates could still technically outnumber their foes.
Yet plans changed, when Sertono suddenly heard that apparently the enemy commander was supposedly a Jedi Knight.
Well, as if the situation wasn't already shitty enough...
A normal pirate leader would probably have surrendered already at this point, probably even begged for mercy. Yet he was the second in command to the Ti-Syndicate, at the command of 4 Interceptor IVs and reinforcements of 4 Mobquet Gunships, their secret weapon, on the way. Currently they had only 6 Rouge fighters and 8 Y-Wings present, one of the Rogues still docked on the opponent's Mobquet - that number would increase hopefully in due time with the arrival of the gunships to 24 of each fighter type.
Buying himself some time, Sertono sent a transmission as well, letting the enemy commander know his next actions.
::Jedi scum, shouldn't you be fighting Imperials or something?::, he solely replied in spite, ::Better let us leave in peace, before my little toy will shoot your decoy captain a nice hole through his face with his E10 rifle. Heard you space wizards care about the lifes of innocents, eh? If so, you should be better
listening to my terms before I engage your puny force and shoot you out of space.::
Not that Sertono really planned on doing so. In mind he was already looking for the most optimal escape route, should any more surprises come. For now he would leave the dragonboats and the Action IV to their fate and focus on keeping the Mobquet as a hostage, given that the crew would hardly be able to overwhelm a Magnaguard. Those droids were already feared during the Clone Wars, no matter with or without their energy staff. Even if this Vakim would somehow turn the most likely engagement in his favor, he had presented him a new challenge in case of Plan B.
Thus he opened the channel over to the Magnadroid.
::Kill the captain and his crew, if they plan to turn against you or interrupt to follow our coordinates, IG::, he solely transmitted, which was solely answered by a single ::Roger!::
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2020 20:11:38 GMT -8
Vakim listened as Sertono spoke, making his claims in attempt to intimidate the Jedi and make him back down. However, the Chistori remained seemingly unimpressed, going so far as to sit back in the command chair, crossing his leg and resting his head in his hand. Some of his crew laughed a bit. Despite how difficult the situation appeared, the Jedi was calm and confident.
Hmm, that's quite the cutting edge piece of tech you have there. Definitely a problem..in most cases. However, there are a few things you should know. For one, I am the Jedi who is sent when the Jedi need to show a more aggressive side. I find a thrill with combat and destruction. Secondly, and if you were smart enough, you would have realized this has been a trap in order to lure you out. With that in mind, do you truly feel those manning the convoy are incapable warriors? As Vakim was speaking with the leader, another of the communication team worked to communicate with those on the lead ship of the convoy. As the discussion continued, a group of six that had hidden from the Magnaguard moved aboard the bridge, each of them wielding Ion blasters. Not wasting a moment, they began firing off the droid, being careful with their shooting so as to not hit their controls.
In the process, the ships continued forward towards the pirate gang, refraining from firing as they waited for whether the pirates would attack, retreat, or surrender. Splitting up a bit, they worked to slip in among the group.
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Kian Ti
Member
Posts: 53
Affiliation: Ti Syndicate
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kian Ti on Jan 12, 2020 5:09:25 GMT -8
::Oh no, but they're bloody idiots!::Given that Sertono knew that the Magnaguards could take a few shots like most IG droids, given their Duranium plating. Yet, what he didn't told the Jedi was that he doubted to get the convoy into his hands, if they were that well prepared. Therefore it was time for Plan B.
Without further wasting his time with the Jedi captain, he took a place in his command seat, ordering the crew around.
"Blast that Mobquet down and any other ship, which hasn't raised the shield", he commanded solely, "And tell the other ships that we will leave the convoy, once the first salves are fired. We'll engage, return fire, give them some losses to mourn and then order the retreat. Every ship on its own then as usual."
"Aye captain!"
While the Syndicate pirates were busy to make quick actions, the Magnaguard meanwhile focused its fire on the intruding troops, leaving the captain enough time to activate secretly the shields just in time before the Interceptor IVs all fired their salve upon the MB-C1. Shaken by the sudden laser fire the Magnadroid fell down and thus offered luckily enough time for the attackers to destroy it completely. With all fighters and Interceptor IVs moving now onto a new position, followed presumably by the fire of the approaching enemy fleet, they would eventually fly a turn in order to stand straight in front of the incoming Mobquet Gunships along with their Rogue fighters and Y-Wing escorts.
::Alright guys, let's give them a hard time, before we do a swoosh!::, he told the other ships as the overwhelming fighter force would already engage into a fight with the enemy star fighters, 'Swoosh' being a code word for retreat. Sertono was aware that they would probably lose ships, potentially even putting his own life at risk when the Y-Wings bomb load wouldn't be enough to take down the gunships. Yet, compared to the opponent they were many - and thus a lot of them would escape, as they couldn't hunt each individual ship.
Therefore the Interceptor IVs continiued on their approach upon the enemy fleet, covered by the rest of their ships, despite the Endless Greed and the Payday having recieved major hull damage.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2020 15:11:32 GMT -8
As the pirates began to move and attack the convoy who had gotten the shields up in time, Vakim ordered all ships to begin firing. In the time it took for them to turn and face them down, the assault began, the Twintails and E-wings pressing in to engage the fighters as the K-wings began their runs against the four Interceptors, unleashing their payload onto the ships.
The VCXs pressed in after the K-wings, focusing their assaults on the turbolaser batteries as the CR90 and Warrior Gunships moved into position and unleashed the power of their turbolasers. Ion cannons fired as well from the CR90 as the Warriors unleashed their concussion missiles. While they engaged, the convoy, with the Magnaguard now taken down, primed their hyperdrives and shortly after, shot off into hyperspace. All that was left now was bringing the pirates down.
The pair of quad laser cannon turrets of the CR90 shot around the battlefield, taking out fighters as they passed, taking advantage to weaken the shields of the capital ships as they chased the fighters down or had an opening to do so. The laser cannons of the Warriors also aided in work. It wasn't long though before another batch of ships. Scanners couldn't make out the type of ship, suggesting that is was a custom model crafted by this group of pirates.
Do you really think your small band of ships can really face the might of what is presented before you? Do you feel prepared for the next wave? You are not the only one prepared for this encounter. Surrender now and you will be spared, allowed to live your lives in prison, but alive nonetheless. Otherwise, I will not lose sleep over your deaths. Your call. His voice was still calm and unwavering, yet at this moment, he had decided to bluff his way through the encounter. The ships he had were all that was available aside from the transport ships waiting to gather up the crew upon surrender if it came to that. His confidence that what he brought to the table was still more than capable of dealing a heavy blow to this group, despite how equipped they were. A thought the Jedi would have to meditate on later. After all, it wasn't that often a pirate gang carried this kind of fleet. And there was no telling just how much more it had.
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Kian Ti
Member
Posts: 53
Affiliation: Ti Syndicate
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kian Ti on Jan 12, 2020 15:58:49 GMT -8
With the Interceptor IVs absorbing most of the opponent ship's fire power, Sertono realized that the engagement had to go quick. Firing his missile barrage from the Ohnaka he began to drift away from the main convoy, seeing that the Retribution did the same thing. Followed up by the Mobquet Gunships, the missile barrages rained down upon the enemy gunships, several rockets heading their way towards the two ships, a few of them loaded with Buzzdroids. Knowing that the droids would cause enough distraction, Sertono's driftaway signaled the rest of the ships to do the same, heading out for different directions. Having heard the last warning of the Jedi commander, the Weequay didn't want to find out whether reinforcements on the Jedi side would arrive or not.
The fighter pilots were the most unlucky, given that the Corellian corvette hit quite a lot of them, among them several Y-Wings. Only nearly half of the former 24 Rogues escaped over their hyperdrives, swarming out into all directions, wheras only six enemy Y-Wings left the battlefield. Both the Endless Greed and the Payday exploded during their attempt to flee the system, while only two of the Mobquet Gunships made it out of the system - the third was destroyed, while the hyperdrive engines of the fourth were critically damaged, allowing them no escape at all.
If the Jedi commander wanted to chase after them, he had to split up his forces. Four of the more larger ships had escaped individually the system, being now on their own. It was most likely that they were seeking a hole to hide, before eventually returning to Hutt Space at a later point. Another one was still in the system, hardly functioning as it slowly drifted than flew through the wreckages of ships.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2020 2:18:07 GMT -8
Vakim watched as the ships scattered and made their jumps to hyperspace. In the end, he decided to not take up chase. It would take about every ship gathered to follow them all and they weren't in the shape to face down the enemy one on one, especially if these jumps led them to their allies.
The Jedi was content with this choice. These pirates would now be more cautious in their raids, wondering how many convoys originated from one spot, who had asked for help, and when would the Jedi show up next. Next time, he'd come with more ships as he expected they would.
Ordering the ship around, he made a quick pursuit towards the remaining ship that had been unable to escape. Working its way up to the side of it, the Fireblaze fired its ion cannons to ensure it was completely inert before attempting to board.
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